Print Glossary

Extra artwork that extends beyond the intended cut line of a printed piece. After printing, paper is cut by machine — and no cutter is perfectly precise every time. Bleed provides a small buffer so that any slight variation in the cut lands inside the design rather than exposing bare white paper along an edge.

If your design has any color, image, or graphic that reaches the edge of the finished piece, you need bleed. If your design has an intentional white or colored border around it, bleed is optional — the border acts as its own buffer.

→ Full guide: What Is Print Bleed?

The intended cut edge of the finished piece. When you order a 3.5" × 2" business card, the trim line is the outer boundary of that 3.5" × 2" rectangle. Your document dimensions are measured to the trim line. Bleed extends beyond it; the safe zone sits inside it.

→ Full guide: Bleed, Trim, and Safe Zone Explained

The inner region of the design, at least ⅛" inside the trim line on all sides. Anything important — text, logos, phone numbers, QR codes — must stay inside the safe zone to ensure it won't be cut off. Even a small drift in the cutting machine can clip content placed too close to the edge.

→ Full guide: Bleed, Trim, and Safe Zone Explained

Intentional clear space around the edges of a design, set inward from the trim line. A standard margin of ¼" gives content room to breathe and reinforces that nothing important will be cut off. Not the same as bleed — bleed extends outward beyond the trim; margin is the padding inside the trim.

Thin lines at the corners of a print file that show the press operator exactly where to cut. Crop marks live in the bleed zone and get removed during trimming — they never appear on the finished piece. Most design software adds them automatically during PDF export.

In Canva: download as "PDF Print" and check "Crop marks and bleed." In Illustrator or InDesign: enable Trim Marks in the PDF Marks and Bleeds export settings.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

A PDF exported with the correct settings for print: CMYK color mode, 300 DPI images, fonts embedded, bleed included, and document dimensions accurate. A print-ready PDF packages everything into one portable file and is what we prefer for nearly every job.

Export as "PDF (Print)" or "PDF/X-1a" from Illustrator or InDesign. In Canva: download as "PDF Print" and enable "Crop marks and bleed." Not suitable for print: Word documents, PowerPoint slides, screenshots, and images downloaded from websites.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

When a font is embedded in a PDF, the actual font data travels with the document. This ensures text renders exactly as you designed it, even if the printer's system doesn't have that font installed. Print PDFs exported from Illustrator, InDesign, and Canva embed fonts automatically — no extra step needed.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

Converting text to outlines removes the dependency on the font file entirely. Each letter becomes a vector shape rather than live text. This is the standard approach when sending native design files (.ai, .eps) rather than PDFs, since the recipient may not have your fonts installed.

Trade-off: outlined text cannot be edited afterwards. For PDFs, embedded fonts are preferred — they're editable and produce cleaner output on small type.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

In Illustrator and InDesign, images can be either linked (the image sits in a separate file and is referenced by the document) or embedded (the image data is stored inside the document). For print files, always embed all images before sending. Linked files cause missing image errors if the separate image files aren't included alongside the document.

In Illustrator: Window → Links → select all → Embed. If you're submitting a PDF, images are embedded automatically when exported correctly.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

Transparency effects — drop shadows, opacity, blend modes — created in design software must be converted to standard opaque artwork before printing. This process is called flattening. Modern PDF export from Adobe apps handles it automatically when you export as PDF/X-1a or "PDF Print." Issues only arise when saving in older formats like .eps or early PDF versions.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

We accept: PDF (preferred), AI, EPS, PSD, TIFF, and high-resolution JPG or PNG files. PDF is the best choice for almost everything — it packages fonts, colors, and dimensions in one self-contained file.

Not recommended: Word (.doc/.docx), PowerPoint, web screenshots, or images saved from Google or social media. These are screen-format files — typically 72 DPI in RGB — and will not print clearly at professional quality.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

A PDF export standard designed specifically for commercial printing. A PDF/X-1a file is guaranteed to be in CMYK color, have all fonts embedded, all transparency flattened, and include bleed and trim box data. It's the safest format to send a printer.

Available as an export preset in Illustrator and InDesign: File → Export → Adobe PDF (Print) → select the "PDF/X-1a:2001" preset. For most standard jobs, a regular "PDF Print" export works just as well. PDF/X-1a is particularly useful for commercial press and long-run offset jobs where strict compliance is required.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

PDF — Best for print. Preserves fonts, colors, bleed settings, and document dimensions in one file. Use this for everything if possible.

JPEG — Acceptable for photographic images at 300 DPI. Uses lossy compression — avoid saving the same JPEG repeatedly, as quality degrades with each save. Not ideal for logos, text, or designs with sharp edges (compression introduces artifacts).

PNG — Lossless compression, supports transparency. Good for logos and graphics at 300 DPI. Must be at the correct resolution at final print size — enlarging a PNG reduces its effective DPI.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing  ·  Print File Checklist

The four-ink color model used by commercial printers. CMYK works by mixing physical inks on paper. Files sent for print should be in CMYK mode. If you submit an RGB file, it will be converted to CMYK before printing — and some colors, particularly vivid blues, neon greens, and bright oranges, can shift noticeably in the conversion because CMYK inks cannot reproduce every color a screen can display.

To design in CMYK from the start: in Illustrator or InDesign, set the document color mode to CMYK when creating the file. In Photoshop: Image → Mode → CMYK. In Canva: download as "PDF Print" which handles the conversion for you.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

The color model used by screens, monitors, cameras, and digital displays. RGB works by mixing colored light. RGB can reproduce colors — particularly vivid neons and saturated blues — that CMYK inks cannot match. For print, design in CMYK or submit a print PDF and let the software handle the conversion accurately.

→ Full guide: File Setup for Printing

DPI (dots per inch) describes how many ink dots a printer places per inch of output. PPI (pixels per inch) describes the resolution of a digital image file. They are used interchangeably in practice: when someone says "set your image to 300 DPI," they mean the image file should have 300 pixels per inch at its intended print size.

300 DPI is the standard for most print products viewed at normal reading distance — business cards, flyers, brochures, postcards. For large-format products like vinyl banners and backdrops, 100–150 DPI at the actual final size is sufficient because these pieces are viewed from a distance.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

How much detail is stored in an image. Higher resolution = more detail = sharper print. "Resolution" and "DPI" are used interchangeably in most print contexts. The standard minimum for print is 300 DPI at the intended print size. An image that looks sharp on screen may still be too low-resolution to print well — screens display at 72–96 DPI, so images always look better on screen than they will in print if resolution is marginal.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

A mix of all four CMYK inks used to achieve a deeper, richer-looking black in large printed areas — backgrounds, headers, full-bleed panels. K:100 alone can appear slightly flat or brownish on large areas. Rich black adds depth.

Important: do not use rich black on small text (under 14 pt) or fine lines. The multi-ink mix requires precise registration — slight misalignment causes blurry edges on small type. Use K:100 only for body text and fine detail.

All four inks at full density. Looks intensely black on screen, but causes severe ink overload when printed — smearing, slow drying, and paper buckling. Registration black exists for printing registration marks (the crosshair targets at the corners of a press sheet), not for design elements. Never use it on artwork.

A standardized ink color system used across the printing industry. Each Pantone color has a code (like PMS 286 C for a specific blue) and a precise ink formula, ensuring the same color looks identical regardless of which printer runs the job.

Digital printing (inkjet and toner) simulates Pantone colors using CMYK — the match is close but not exact. True Pantone matching requires spot-color offset printing, which is less common for small runs. If brand color accuracy is critical, ask us about your options.

A printing method where each color is applied as its own premixed ink rather than being built from CMYK dots. Spot printing is more expensive per color but delivers more precise, consistent results — especially for brand colors that need to look identical across multiple print runs. Common in business stationery, packaging, and signage.

Standard commercial color printing. Four inks — cyan, magenta, yellow, and black — are layered in tiny dots at varying densities to reproduce full-color images and designs. Also called "process color" or "CMYK printing." The vast majority of everyday print products are full-color process.

A color mode using only shades of gray from white to black, printed with the black ink channel only. Set files to Grayscale mode before exporting when printing in black and white. If you submit a CMYK file for a "black and white" job, the printer will use only the K channel — but leftover CMYK data can sometimes cause unexpected color tinting.

The process of reducing file size by discarding or reorganizing image data. JPEG uses lossy compression — each save permanently discards detail. PNG and TIFF use lossless compression — file size is reduced without losing data.

For print: avoid heavily compressed JPEGs (quality below 80%) and never resave a JPEG repeatedly from an editing program — quality degrades with every save cycle. Always work from the highest-quality original and export once.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

What happens when a raster image is enlarged beyond its resolution limit. Individual pixels become visible as blocky squares, or the image looks blurry and jagged. The most common cause in print: using a small image from a website (typically 72 DPI) and scaling it up to fill a large printed format.

There is no fix for pixelation after the fact. You cannot restore lost detail by resampling or increasing DPI in software — the original pixel data is simply not there. The only solution is a higher-resolution source image.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

An image with insufficient pixel density to print clearly at the intended size. Common sources: screenshots, images saved from websites or Google (typically 72–96 DPI), images pulled from social media (compressed and small), and thumbnail images from stock libraries.

Always use the original high-resolution source file — the native design file, the original photo, or the full-size stock image download. If you're unsure about your image resolution, email the file to us and we'll check it before production.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

A graphic format defined by mathematical paths and curves rather than a fixed grid of pixels. Vector graphics scale to any size — from a postage stamp to a building wrap — without losing sharpness or becoming pixelated. Logos and line art should always be kept as vector files. Common formats: Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Encapsulated PostScript (.eps), Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg).

→ Related: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

A pixel-based image format. Resolution is fixed at the time the image is created — enlarging a raster image reduces its effective DPI and causes softness or visible pixelation. Raster images for standard print must be at least 300 DPI at the final print size. For large format (banners, backdrops), 100–150 DPI at final size is acceptable.

→ Full guide: DPI & Print Resolution Guide

A smooth, reflective surface coating applied to paper. Gloss makes colors appear more vivid and saturated — photos look richer and designs with bold colors pop more than on uncoated paper. Trade-off: gloss surfaces show fingerprints and are difficult to write on. Common products: business cards, flyers, postcards, product catalogs.

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

A non-reflective coated surface. Colors are slightly less saturated than on gloss, but there's no glare and text is generally easier to read. Matte surfaces can often be written on with a ballpoint pen. Preferred for professional services, high-end brands, and pieces with dense body text.

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

Paper with no coating. Ink absorbs into the fiber rather than sitting on the surface, giving a slightly rougher texture and a more natural feel. Colors appear less vibrant than on coated stocks, but uncoated paper takes pen, marker, and stamps well. Used for letterhead, forms, envelopes, legal documents, and anything that needs to be written on after printing.

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

Heavy paper stock used for printed pieces that need to be stiff and durable. Business cards, postcards, hang tags, and table tents are printed on cardstock. Measured in pounds (lb cover) or points (pt). A standard business card is typically 14 pt — roughly the thickness of a credit card.

→ Full guide: Paper Types — Cardstock vs. Text Weight

A lighter paper stock intended for pieces that fold or flex. Flyers, brochures, and booklet pages are typically printed on text weight paper. A 100 lb text stock is noticeably heavier and more premium than standard copy paper, but still light enough to fold cleanly along a scored crease. Note: "100 lb text" and "100 lb cover" are different — cover stock is heavier because it's measured from a larger reference sheet.

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

Point measurements describe paper thickness in thousandths of an inch. 14 pt is the most common business card stock — solid, professional, what most people expect when they receive a well-made card. 16 pt is noticeably thicker and stiffer, with a premium feel that makes an impression.

For reference: a standard credit card is about 30 pt. Our default cardstock is 130 lb Gloss Cover, which runs approximately 14 pt. If you want 16 pt, mention it when requesting a quote.

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

Paper fibers align in one direction during manufacturing — called the grain direction. Folding with the grain produces a clean, crisp crease. Folding against the grain can crack or warp the paper, especially on coated stocks. For brochures and folded products, our production process accounts for grain direction automatically. This becomes relevant if you're doing any hand-folding of printed sheets yourself.

→ Full guide: Brochure Fold Types

Coated paper has a surface treatment — gloss or matte — that improves color vibrancy and controls ink spread, producing sharper detail and more saturated color. Uncoated paper has no surface treatment; ink absorbs into the fiber, producing a natural texture and slightly muted color.

The practical choice: coated for anything where color and photography matter (business cards, flyers, postcards, catalogs). Uncoated for anything that needs to be written on or that benefits from a natural, tactile feel (letterhead, notepads, menus with updates).

→ Full guide: Paper Types Explained

A thin plastic film applied to the printed surface after the ink is dry. Lamination makes printed pieces more durable — resistant to moisture, scuffs, tearing, and UV fading. Available in gloss, matte, and soft-touch finishes. Common on business cards, menus, pocket folders, and marketing materials that get handled frequently.

A non-reflective laminate finish. Matte lamination reads as high-end and professional, with no glare in any lighting condition. Slightly reduces color vibrancy compared to gloss lamination, but text is easier to read and the surface has a clean, sophisticated look. Common on premium business cards, presentation folders, and covers.

A shiny plastic laminate that makes colors appear more vivid and saturated. Gloss lamination adds significant durability — protection against moisture, scuffs, and UV fading. Common on menus, retail cards, and promotional pieces meant to be reused or displayed for extended periods.

A specialty laminate with a slightly textured, velvety surface. Soft-touch is tactilely distinct from standard matte lamination — it has a slight grip and a warm, rubber-like feel that stands out when someone handles the piece. More expensive than standard laminates, but popular for premium business cards, packaging, and book covers where the physical feel matters as much as the print.

A liquid coating applied to printed pieces and cured instantly under UV light, producing a very hard, high-gloss surface. UV coating can be applied to the full printed surface (flood UV) or selectively to specific areas (spot UV) for a dramatic contrast effect — for example, a matte laminated card with a glossy logo in spot UV.

UV coating is more scratch-resistant than standard lamination and produces a more intense gloss. It's a premium finishing option most appropriate for high-visibility marketing materials and branded collateral.

A water-based coating applied immediately after printing on press. Aqueous coating is faster and less expensive than lamination or UV coating — it dries quickly, protects ink from smudging and fingerprints, and produces a moderate sheen. Very common on postcards, marketing mailers, and catalog covers that need basic protection without the cost of full lamination.

A line pressed (not cut) into the paper to create a pre-defined fold point. Scoring compresses the paper fibers along the fold line so the piece folds cleanly and precisely. Required for any folded piece thicker than standard text weight — especially coated stocks, which crack along unscored folds. Standard on brochures, greeting cards, and pocket folders.

→ Full guide: Brochure Fold Types

A finishing process where a flat printed sheet is folded into panels. The fold type determines how many panels the piece has and how it opens. Folding is always preceded by scoring on coated or heavy stocks.

→ Full guide: Brochure Fold Types

A row of small evenly-spaced cuts pressed through a sheet, creating a tear-off strip or detachable section. Common applications: coupons with tear-off portions, event tickets, reply cards attached to mailers. Perforation is punched or laser-cut after printing.

Cutting a printed sheet into a custom shape using a steel die — a blade bent into the desired shape and pressed through the material. Die cutting allows shapes beyond standard rectangles: rounded corners, circle stickers, arched hang tags, shaped packaging inserts. Die cutting costs more than straight cuts due to die creation, but the dies are reusable for future runs.

Cutting the sharp 90° corners of a printed piece into smooth rounded arcs. Corner rounding is the simplest form of die cutting — it's a standard finish that softens the look of a card or tag without adding much cost. The most common radius is ⅛" — subtle enough to look refined without being dramatic. Standard on premium business cards, hang tags, and folded mini menus.

Metal eyelets pressed into holes along the edges of a vinyl banner or sign, used to hang the piece with rope, zip ties, or bungee cords. Standard grommet placement is every two feet along the perimeter. Grommets are essential hardware for banners displayed outdoors, mounted to fencing, pipe-and-drape frames, or building facades.

→ Full guide: Banner Size Guide

A reinforcement technique for vinyl banners where the outer edges are folded over and heat-welded (or sewn) to create a thick, sealed border. Hemming prevents the vinyl from fraying, stretching, or tearing along the edges — especially critical at corners and grommet locations where stress concentrates. Standard on all our vinyl banners.

→ Full guide: Banner Size Guide

The standard US business card is 3.5 inches wide by 2 inches tall — the size that fits every standard cardholder and wallet. Set your document to these dimensions, then add ⅛" bleed on all sides, making your actual canvas 3.75" × 2.25".

→ Full guide: Business Card Sizes & File Setup  ·  Order Business Cards

The most common US postcard sizes: 4"×6" (standard promo card), 5"×7" (invitations and larger promos), 6"×9" (oversized mailer), 6"×11" (jumbo — maximum for USPS First-Class rate). For USPS standard postcard rate, the piece must be at least 3.5"×5" and no larger than 4.25"×6". Anything larger qualifies as a letter and mails at a higher rate.

→ Full guide: Postcard Size Guide

Standard flyer sizes in inches: full sheet (8.5"×11") is the most common — fits any folder or display rack. Half sheet (5.5"×8.5") is economical and easy to hand out in person. Quarter sheet (4.25"×5.5") is compact for tabletop or counter display. Tabloid (11"×17") makes a poster-size statement and works well for event promotions.

→ Full guide: Flyer Size Guide

Vinyl banners are ordered by the foot. Common sizes: 2'×4' (counter or lobby), 2'×6' (standard storefront), 3'×6' (street-facing facade), 4'×8' (event backdrop), 4'×10' (grand opening or wide storefronts). File setup: 100–150 DPI at the final printed size with ½"–1" bleed on all sides.

→ Full guide: Banner Size Guide  ·  Choosing the Right Sign

A self-standing display banner with a spring-loaded mechanism in the base that allows the graphic to retract for compact storage and transport. The standard size is 33 inches wide by 80 inches tall. Also available in narrower tabletop formats (24") and wider event formats (47"–60"). Designed for trade shows, lobby displays, and event booths.

→ Full guide: Vinyl Banner vs Retractable Banner vs Feather Flag

The fold determines how many panels a brochure has and how it opens. The tri-fold (letter fold) divides a standard 8.5"×11" sheet into three equal panels — it's the format you'd find in a hotel lobby or on a retail counter. Half-fold produces four panels. Z-fold creates an accordion-style open. Gate fold has four panels that open from the center, like a gate — a dramatic presentation for premium pieces.

→ Full guide: Brochure Fold Types

A booklet binding method where sheets are nested and stapled through the spine fold. The most economical booklet binding available. Works well for catalogs, event programs, menus, and booklets up to about 64 pages. Each sheet adds 4 pages — so total page count must be a multiple of 4. Cover and inside pages are typically printed on different paper weights.

A binding method where pages are stacked flat, ground at the spine edge, and glued to a wrap-around cover. This is how most paperback books, thick catalogs, and print magazines are bound. The square spine allows for title text. More durable and professional than saddle stitch for pieces with significant page counts.

A freestanding sidewalk sign shaped like an inverted V. Double-sided so messaging is visible from both directions of foot traffic. Used outside storefronts, restaurants, retail entrances, and events. Can use interchangeable printed inserts or permanently applied vinyl graphics. Standard sizes are 18"×24" and 24"×36" per face.

→ Full guide: Choosing the Right Sign

A large printed backdrop showing a repeating logo or brand pattern — the standard backdrop at press events, award ceremonies, charity galas, and brand activations. Printed on vinyl or fabric and mounted on a pop-up frame. Typically 8 to 10 feet wide. The "step and repeat" name refers to the grid pattern of alternating logos, positioned so that any photo crop shows at least one complete logo.

→ Order Backdrops

A representation of how the final piece will look before printing begins. Reviewing a proof is your last opportunity to catch errors in spelling, layout, color, or sizing. We send digital proofs on all orders unless you opt out. Approve the proof promptly — turnaround time starts after proof approval, not when the order is placed.

A PDF file showing the final layout, colors, and dimensions as they will print. Digital proofs are the standard for most jobs. They allow quick review and approval without requiring a physical printed sample. Note: color may vary slightly between on-screen appearance and actual printed output — monitors display in RGB; print output is CMYK.

An actual physical printout produced before the full print run. Hard proofs are used when color accuracy is critical — for branded materials with specific Pantone colors, packaging, or long-run jobs where a color mismatch would be costly to reprint. Adds time and cost to the job. Ask us if you need a hard proof.

The time between when a job is approved and when it is ready for pickup or ships. Turnaround starts after you approve your proof — not when you place the order. Standard turnaround is 1–3 business days depending on the product and quantity. Same-day pickup is available on most common items when ordered and approved by 2 PM Monday–Friday.

Expedited printing with faster-than-standard turnaround. Rush orders move ahead of the standard production queue and may carry a rush fee depending on the job. At ABC Printing, same-day pickup is available on most items ordered by 2 PM Monday–Friday. Call ahead to confirm availability for large or complex jobs before placing a rush order.

The total number of copies produced in a single job. Print run quantity matters because setup costs are mostly fixed — it costs roughly the same to prepare the press for 100 pieces as for 1,000. That's why the price per unit drops at higher quantities, and why ordering at a quantity break is often smarter than ordering just below it.

A specific quantity at which the per-unit price decreases — typically because fixed setup costs are spread over more pieces. Common breaks for digitally printed products: 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000. Ordering just below a break (say, 240 instead of 250) often costs nearly as much as the next tier, for fewer pieces. Check the pricing table on any product page to see where the breaks fall.

A fee charged to cover the time and materials required to prepare a job for print — mounting plates, calibrating the press, running test sheets. Setup fees are more common in traditional offset printing. Digital printing, which we primarily use, typically has no separate setup fee — the cost is built into the per-unit pricing at each quantity tier.

The minimum number of units that can be ordered for a specific product. Minimums exist because producing fewer units doesn't justify the fixed setup time and materials. If you need fewer than the listed minimum, contact us — we can sometimes accommodate smaller quantities with a custom quote.

Running an additional quantity of a job that has been printed before, using the same approved artwork. If your file hasn't changed, a reprint typically has faster setup since the work has already been approved. Pricing is based on the quantity ordered — not a discount from the original. File retrieval charges may apply if the original needs to be located and reformatted.